Do you want some good news? God wants to have a personal relationship with you while here on earth and give you the free gift of eternal life in heaven. Check out this awesome verse.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Lets breakdown the different parts of this very important Bible verse.
Part 1: This verse says "by grace you have been saved". God's grace is defined as undeserved favor. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given.
Part 2: What are we saved from? The bible teaches that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). If God were to judge us we would be found guilty and deserve punishment. That punishment would result in going to hell not heaven. BUT God wants to save us from that!
Part 3: "Saved through faith" First off, what is faith? Faith is belief and trust. Ok, faith in what? Actually its not what but who. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He paid our penalty. He paid for all your past, present and future sins. He then rose from the dead and is alive today. We need to place our faith (belief & trust) in what He did.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Part 4: In order to have faith (belief & trust) in Jesus it's important to know who He is. Did you know that Jesus is eternal? Jesus was involved in creating all things in heaven and earth. Jesus is timeless. The Bible teaches that God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, are one in being but separate in persons. Equal but have different roles. Confusing? Yes, it's totally complex and understandably so because we're talking about the God of the universe. To help our earthly brains understand, some people like comparing the Trinity to an egg. The shell, the white part and the yolk are all different but its still an egg. Water is another analogy. Water can be liquid, solid or gas... different forms but it's still water. Check out these verses talking about the eternal nature of Jesus.
Colossians 1:16-17 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him (Jesus), and without him (Jesus) was not any thing made that was made.
It's important to acknowledge who Jesus is because he is not an angel, or a prophet as some false religions teach. He is God.
So we have faith (belief & trust) in God who became man in order to die on the cross for our sins and pay 100% of our penalty so we can be made righteous and have a relationship with God. That relationship and peace with God starts here on earth and it will be for an eternity in heaven.
Part 5: "Its not your own doing". This means it has nothing to do with what you have done or what you can do. Being saved or what is also called salvation is a FREE GIFT.
Part 6: "so that no one can boast". Jesus wants nothing to do with people who believe in Him but also think it's their good works that get them into heaven. Check out what he says in Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
In this verse Jesus is making it clear that their good deeds have nothing to do with their salvation.
Nice work, great study! The verse we took a close look at, Ephesians 2:8-9 is a great reminder of the Gospel message or Good News.
So what does it mean to be a follower of Christ (Christian)? Click here to learn about life as a Christian.
ACTION: Knowing salvation is a free gift and you just have to accept it, when are you going to do that? If you want to accept this free gift say a prayer similar to this:
Dear God, I know I have sinned against you and deserve the punishment of hell. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins so I can be your child seen as righteous and pure. I accept this amazing gift and out of gratitude I want to live a life that honors you. Amen